1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a birefringent plate arrangement with stress birefringence.
2. Discussion of Relevant Art
It is known that stress birefringence can be produced by pressing or stretching an initially isotropic material.
Solid state lasers are polarized by laterally pressing the laser crystal. However, no quantitatively clean birefringence effect is produced thereby; a detuning of the resonator is sufficient.
In German Patent DE 196 37 563.0, not a prior publication, corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/929,913, an arrangement of the subject type with tensile stress is described. The use of pressure is rejected on constructional grounds, and if really necessary is provided as an addition, orthogonally to the tension. The content of the US Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference, since in particular the technical background and the importance of this invention can be well gathered from it.